ICL: Chandigarh Lions overpower Delhi Giants

Panchkula (Haryana): The Chandigarh Lions outplayed their north Indian rivals Delhi Giants to notch up a comfortable 34-run victory in their ICL Edelweiss 20s tie at the Devi Lal Stadium here on Saturday.

Lions riding on the knocks of Tejinder Pal Singh (39), Elliott (35) and Vincent (20) posted a healthy 153/6 in stipulated 20 overs. In reply Giants were bowled out for 119 in the penultimate over despite Abhinav Bali's 28-ball 31 and Atapattu's run-a-ball 29. Daryl Tuffey was the pick of Lions bowler with 3 for 15 while man-of-the-match T P Singh took 2 for 8.

The Lions opting to bat first had a fine start with their openers Mathew Elliott&Lou Vincent after seeing off the initial probing spell from Shane Bond opened their shoulders with the Kiwi batsman targetting Benkenstein for some rough treatment. Vincent hit three consecutive boundaries off the South African. On the other hand Elliott was his usual self milking the ball in gaps for singles and twos interspersed with odd boundary hits.

Benkenstein got his revenge castling Lou Vincent to get the Giants their first breakthrough at the score of 44.

At the halfway mark the Lions were comfortably placed at 71/1 in the 10th over.

TP Singh hoisted Shane Bond, who came back for a second spell in the 11th over, for a max over long. TP's 37-ball knock was studded with three boundaries and a six. He shared a valuable 44-run stand with the Aussie. The left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza in his third over consumed the well set Elliott (35 off 35, 2X4s&1X6) caught Gunawardene at long-on. Some sloppy running between the wickets saw Dinesh Mongia run out at a crucial stage at the match reducing the Lions to 93/3 in the 13th over.

Chetan Sharma played a gem of a cameo in the final overs to help Lions pile up a solid 153/6.

Giants' new-ball bowlers Bond and Sudhindra bowled a tidy spells although went wicketless.

In reply the Delhi Giants opened the innings with the explosive Avishka Gunawardene&Mohnish Mishra. Three wides and a boundary each from the bats of both the openers had the Giants get off to a good start of 12 for no loss at the end of the first over. Daryl Tuffey struck early getting the dangerous Gunwardene nick one into the slip cordon reducing the Giants to 12/1. Tuffey was getting some swing and a lovely in-swinger sent Mishra back into the dugout, leaving the Giants in a delicate situation at 20/2. A brilliant fielding effort from Lions wicketkeeper Sarabjeet found the inform Abbas Ali short of his ground leaving the Giants innings reeling at 29/3 in the 6th over.

Abhinav Bali joined his captain Atapattu in the middle and got into the act right away sending the impressive Tuffey for consecutive boundaries to take Giants score to 67/2 halfway thro'. Gaints lost Atapattu and Bali in quick succession and their tail failed to wag.